Society for --
Demolition of Dictatorship +
Demonstration for Democracy

Saturday, June 25, 2011

On Abuse of Power by the Elitists in Power

The following is an essay by a pastor regarding power structures and the abuse of power in the human institution of the church. It is equally applicable to Taiwan's civil government and in particular the R.O.C. regime in power. The article assumes the majority abusing the minority, but in the case of Taiwan, a minority have been able to seize power and oppress a majority population.

Below are some good excerpts helpful especially for those raised in the KMT privilege class. Note also the paragraph on those in the oppressed group who actually try to curry favor and follow those in power. It explains a lot of those who are Taiwanese yet support the Ma regime.

"And, of course, there will be those in the minority who are anxious to curry favor or receive protection from the majority. They envy the power of the powerful and try to emulate them while still being what they are. They are willing to give lip service to the status quo, and validate the perpetuation of power by the majority in exchange for tokens of acceptance by the majority.

They are seen by the majority as the “Good (fill in the blank.)” They know what side their bread is buttered on, and they are enormously useful to the majority to deflect criticism about their treatment of the minority... "

... When I was a student at Louisville Seminary I was presented with the critiques of power which are offered by both liberation theology and feminist theology. Those who are in power tend to sinfully use that power to perpetuate the status quo and keep themselves in power. They build power structures which are fundamentally unjust and oppressive....

... One of the key insights of this stream of thought is that those who are the beneficiaries of the unjust power structures seldom recognize the fact that they are the beneficiaries of injustice. They point to the rules to justify their behavior, but of course their group set up those rules in the first place. They claim to be wiser or more fitted for power than those they are oppressing. ...

Sometimes they will claim a special divine warrant for their behavior...

And, of course, there will be those in the minority who are anxious to curry favor or receive protection from the majority. They envy the power of the powerful and try to emulate them while still being what they are. They are willing to give lip service to the status quo, and validate the perpetuation of power by the majority in exchange for tokens of acceptance by the majority.

They are seen by the majority as the “Good (fill in the blank.)” They know what side their bread is buttered on, and they are enormously useful to the majority to deflect criticism about their treatment of the minority. They are also usually hated by those members of their own group who are not willing to compromise their identity. This phenomenon rears its ugly head wherever there is longstanding conflict between groups of unequal power.

...And an ecclesiastical structure has a dominant culture, just as a nation or a corporation does. It sets up rules which tend to benefit those who are members of the dominant culture and which tend to perpetuate their tenure of power.

It also has its benighted minorities, those who are “different” or “other.” Those who, for whatever reason, are at odds with the dominant culture and power structure.

... You have systematically ratcheted up the pressure on the minority for a long time, until now it is to the point of causing even those traditionalists who have been quiescent and compliant for years to consider leaving. But they do not want to leave in dribs and drabs, like those of us who have left before. They want to leave as a cohesive group, with mutual support and care for the hazards of the journey. They want to envision a new future for themselves and build it.

And they want to take the property and resources they paid for with their own blood, sweat and tears with them. And you extort them and take them to court to prevent it. You point to the rules you wrote to perpetuate your tenure in power and say “See, it’s the right thing to do.”...

...You betray your very deep loathing and hatred of the other in your midst by what you do to them. You say what every abuser says to the one he abuses, “You are mine to do with what I wish, and if you try to leave me I will hurt you.” ...

Now that I confront you with this, will you shrug your shoulders and say what those members of the majority who have been complicit by their silence often say, “It’s just the way things are and I can’t do anything about it.” Where is your passion for justice then?

...Have done with this sickening behavior. Please, for the sake of some kind of integrity with your own principles, let my people go.

Brian Carpenter is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. He serves as pastor of the Foothills Community Church (PCA), Sturgis, S.D. This article was written for and first appeared at The Layman online and is used with the author’s permission.